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Chicken and Fried Rice

I was in the mood for some fried rice but looking for a homemade version to try instead of going for takeout. Cooking at home and learning how to cook different foods is so much fun, I'm more and more beginning to prefer it to overpaying for food at restaurants unless I'm just too tired or have found something new to try (But don't get me wrong--I have yet to turn town a Five Guys burger opportunity). Lately I've been all about trying out some easy, skillet type meals for those times when I don't have the time or energy to stand in the kitchen for a long period of time, and after making Chicken and Orzo and Soy Citrus Chicken and Rice with great results I decided to conquer homemade fried rice.

This time I found a Chicken and Rice recipe calling for uncooked rice and made made it on a larger scale.

I started out by cubing the chicken into smaller pieces and cooking them in some of the sesame oil until they were browned.

I removed the chicken from the skillet and added the rice, stirring it frequently to brown it evenly. Next I added the garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes.

Next, I added the broth, soy sauce, and 1/2 cup of beer to the skillet and heated it to a simmer. I decided to skip boiling the ingredients separately and just mix them in the skillet, and I added in the beer because it had worked so well in the Beer Chicken and Stuffing, hoping to add that extra boost of sweetness to the rice. The chicken broth I used was a Tuscany style, pre-seasoned with rosemary, thyme, and basil. I covered the pan and let the rice cook for 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent sticking.

I added back in the chicken, a can of peas, parsley, salt and pepper, and let it sit for 2-3 more minutes. I stirred in some more sesame oil to finish it off.

Fried rice was not nearly as hard to make as I expected! The rice was cooked to the perfect tenderness, and the chicken and sauce were awesome. Even though I skipped out on boiling the broth in a separate pan, all of the ingredients blended together just right and I saved a pan in the process. My husband indicated he could detect a hint of the beer but for that to stand out I'll need to add more next time--at least a full 12 ounce beer. I think for next time I will use a combination of peas and some diced carrots, as I've always been a fan of Chinese restaurant-style fried rice, and I think a fried egg would fit in perfectly. Now I just need to make some homemade egg rolls for next time.

Cut chicken into pieces about 1-2 inches in size. Heat 1/4 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then brown chicken for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add rice and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to brown all sides. Add in garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, water, and ginger to the skillet and heat to boiling. Lower heat to medium, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken, peas, parsley, salt, and pepper; cover and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and mix well.